Electrolytic rectifier



Sept. 10, 1929.

C. C. CARPENTER ELEGTROLYTIG RECTIFIER Filed July l5. 1922 ,Lu/511101?CV M Wm ifm@ Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE...

GAMIEBEILI; C. CARPENTER, F EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 'WILLARDSTORAGE BATTERY COMPLN'Y, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F WESTVIRGINIA.

ELEcroLYTIc anormaux.

, This invention relates to improvements in electrolytic rectiiiers, andhas for its,A chief object to provide a rectifier which will per- Vmitthe use of a small amount of solution. Further the invention aims toprovide a rectifier which is small andcompact and has provision forpreventing abnormal rise o f temperature.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain noveldetails of construction and combinations and arran ements of parts whichwill be described in t e .Specification and set forth in the appendedclaims. Y

In thel accompanying sheet of drawings wherein I have illustrated anembodiment of the invention which operates with high etti-- ciency, Fig.1 is a side elevation of the rectifier; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview of the saine with a portion in elevation; and Fig. 3 is'a top planview. i My improved rectifier includes a cylindrical chamber orcontainer 10 for the electrolyte, this container being .preferablyformed of lead and constituting the conductingelectrode of the device. Afilm forming` electrode, preferably formed of aluminum 1s shown at 11,this electrode in this instance extending laterally into the container10 and being held in place by having its outerend portion 11a fittedinto a tapered plug 12 which may be ofrubber, the latter in turn fittinginto a lead`l bushing 13 soldered to the cylindrical wall of thecontainer.

Extending up from the flat top of the container 10 is a dome 14 forminga gas collecting chamber, and extending through and secured in the topof this dome 14 is a vent tube 15. The dome 14 can be convenientlyprovided by forming an opening in the top of the container 10andsolderingfthe dome to the marginal wall of this opening, this dome,vent tube and other parts being preferably formed pf lead, and the venttube is preferably soldered in an opening formed in the top of the dome14. it is to be noted that the bottom of the vent tube is on a levelwith the bottom of the dome 14 or top of the con* tainer 10, and thatthe upper end of the vent tube is some distance above the. deine.

Secured to the top ofthe container 10 and at its lower end soldered tothe latter is a stand pipe 16 which may be of lead and ,y

which s urrounds and is arranged concent-rically .with respect to thedome 14 and vent tube 15 and extends up a short distance above the topof the latter. This stand pipe is somewhat larger in diameter than thedome 14 so that there is an annular space between the two, and thisstand pipe which has no direct connection at the bottom with thecontainer or with the dome, forms an auxiliary chamber for theelectrolyte.

Surrounding the stand pipe 16 there is a coil 1'2' also preferablyformed of lead. The lower end of' the coil communicates at 18 with thespace or chamber in the stand pipe 16, the point of connection betweenthe lower end of the coil with the stand pipe being a short distanceabove the top of the electrolyte container 10. The top of the coil 17 isa short distance below the top of the vent tube 15, and at its upper endthe coil is connected by a downwardly extending tube or branch 19forming a continuation of the coil with thc electrolyte container 10,the point of connection between the t'ube 19 and the container l0 beingindicated at 20.

Any suitable electrolyte commonly employedk in rectiiers may beutilized. The electrolyte is poured into the stand pipe 16 and as thelevei rises in the stand pipe it gradually fills the coils 17 from thebottom, the electrolyte entering the coil at 18, and as soon as thelevel-bf the electrolyte in the stand pipe rises above the coil itpasses from the top of the coil down the tube 19 into the container 10.The electrolyte is supplied in this manner until the container and aportion of the.

dome 14 are filled, and when the electrolyte has risen in the dome to adefinite height depending uponthe level of the electrolytein the standpipe, i. e. when the maximum amount has Abeen supplied through the coilAand tube 19', filling is discontinued, the elec- `trolWe then stmdingin' the stand pipe at a level slightly above the top of the coil.

When the rectifier is then connected into a circuit and is used for therectification of alternating currents. as for example. for charaing abattery, gas is evolved, and though a slight amount may pass out throughthe vent tube, the major portion passes up into the gas collectingchamber or dome 14, andas the gas collects therein it graduallydisplaces the electrolyte, forcing it down into the container 10, backand through the tube 19 around the coil 17 and into the stand pipe 16.'The collection of gas in the dome and the displacing of the electrolytewith its circulation through the tube and coil continues until the levelof the electrolyte reaches the bottom -of the vent tube 15, and whenthis occurs the gas collected in the dome and now under some pressuresuddenly finds an escape through the vent tube 15, and when once theoutlet is established, that outlet is maintained until substantially theentire amount of gas in the dome escapes and the dome is again filledwith electrolyte.

While this is occurring, the li uid again runs back through the coil andtu container 10, entering the latter at 20. Im-

mediately thereafter the gas begins again to collect in the dome,gradually displacing the electrolyte and forcing it through the tube 19and coil 17 into the stand pipe, and when the level reaches the bottomof the vent tube there is again a sudden and substantially completerelease of the gas and a quick return of the electrolyte to its formerlevel.

This transference of electrolyte from the container 10 through'the coilinto the Stand lco pipe by the collection of gas 1n the dome and thesudden escape of the gas with consequent quick return of the electrolytetakes place intermittently. The effect of this is to maintain a contantcooling of the electrolyte which prevents an abnormal rise intemperature, and enables the rectifier to be operated at `maximum orsubstantially maximum eiciency with the use of a small amount ofelectrolyte.

In other words, by my improvements above described I have provided asmall and compact rectifier requiring only a relatively small amount ofsolution with ample provision against the rise of temperature andconsequent drop in efliciency and rapid deterioration which wouldotherwise take place.

Having described my invention, I claim zv 1. An electrolytic rectifiercomprising an electrolyte chamber containing a fihn forming electrode,an auxiliary chamber extendingupwardly from the top of the electrolyte'chamber for electrolyte, a tube connecting said chambers, said firstchamber having a portion at the top thereof extending into the auxiliarychamber wherein gas is collected so as to gradually drive part of theelectrolyte into the second named chamber, and means for causing thesudden escape of the gas so as to permit the return of the electrolyteto the first named chamber.

2. An electrolytic rectifier comprising a body having two chambersincluding a main e into the electrolyte chamber and an auxiliaryelectrolyte chamber rising therefrom, a cooling coil connecting saidmain and auxiliary chambers, ,said main chamber havin a gas collectingdome at the top thereof, and a vent tube extending down through the domeand having its open lower end adjacent the bottom of the dome.`

3. An electrolytic rectifier comprising a body having two chambersincluding a main electrol te chamber having a film forming electrodleand, an auxiliar chamber rising therefrom, said first chamber having agas collecting portion, a vent tube for the main electrolyte chamberextending through said auxiliary chamber and through the gas collectingportion of the main chamber and having an open lower end, and a -coolingcoil connecting the two chambers.

4. In an electrolytic rectifier, a main electrol te chamber havin a filmforming electro e and provided witn a gas collecting portion, anauxiliary electrolyte chamber rising from the main chamber, a vent tubeextendin through said auxiliary chamber and through the gas collectingportion of the main chamber, and a cooling coil surroundin the auxiliarychamber sind havin one en communicatin with said auxlliary4 chamber andits ot er end communicating with said main chamber.

5. An electrolytic rectifier comprising a main electrolyte chamberhaving a gas collectin dome at the top, an auxillary electrolyte c amberextending up from the main chamber and surrounding said dome, a venttube extendin through said dome to substantially the ottom thereof andarranged within said auxiliary chamber, and a cooling tube connectingsaid chambers.

6. An electrolytic rectifier comprising a main electrolyte chamberhaving a gas collectin dome at the top, an auxiliary electrol e c amberextending up from the main c amberand surrounding said dome, a vent 110tube extending through said dome to substantially the bottom thereof andarranged within said'auxiliary chamber, and a coil surrounding saidauxiliary chamber and at its lowerend connected to the lower part ofsaid auxiliary chamber and at its upper end connected to said mainchamber.

7. An electrolytic rectifier comprising a main electrolyte chamberhaving a gas collectin dome at the top, an auxiliary electrolyte c amberextending up from the main chamber and surrounding said dome, a venttube extendin through said dome to substantially the ot'tom thereof andarranged within said auxiliary chamber and a passageway for electrolytecommunicatin with the main chamber below the dome and eading to theauxiliary chamber.

8. An electrolytic rectifier comprising a main electrolyte chamberhaving a gas col- 13 lectin dome at the top, an auxiliary electrol te camber extending up from the main c amber, a vent tube extending throughsaid dome to substantially the bottom thereof, and

a coil surrounding said auxiliary chamber and connected at one end tothe auxiliary chamber and at its other end to said main chamber.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aix my signature. v

CAMPBELL C. CARPENTER. y

